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Seahouses Lifeboat Station

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Coordinates: 55°34′58.4″N 1°39′14.4″W / 55.582889°N 1.654000°W / 55.582889; -1.654000
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Seahouses Lifeboat Station (formerly North Sunderland)
Seahouses Lifeboat Station
Seahouses Lifeboat Station is located in Northumberland
Seahouses Lifeboat Station
Seahouses, Northumberland
Former namesNorth Sunderland Lifeboat Station
General information
TypeRNLI Lifeboat Station
LocationSeahouses Lifeboat Station
AddressSeafield Road
Town or citySeahouses, Northumberland, NE68 7SH
CountryUK
Coordinates55°34′58.4″N 1°39′14.4″W / 55.582889°N 1.654000°W / 55.582889; -1.654000
Opened1827 Crewe Trustees
1859 RNLI
Owner Royal National Lifeboat Institution
Website
Seahouses RNLI Lifeboat Station

Seahouses Lifeboat Station is located in the village of Seahouses, in the county of Northumberland.

A lifeboat was first stationed here by the Crewe Trustees in 1827. The station was taken over by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in 1859. Originally known as North Sunderland Lifeboat Station, the name was formally changed to Seahouses Lifeboat Station in 1999.[1]

The station currently operates a Shannon-class All-weather lifeboat 13-36 John and Elizabeth Allan (ON 1343), and a D-class (IB1) Inshore lifeboat Grace Darling (D-828).[2]

History

[edit]

When a harbour was created near the village of North Sunderland in Northumberland, it gradually developed to become the separate village of Seahouses. Over the years, the two villages grew in size, and have now effectively merged.[3]

A new lifeboat station was established in North Sunderland in 1827 by the Crewe Trustees, a charitable organisation founded by Nathaniel Crewe, Bishop of Durham in 1704.[4] A stone-built boathouse was constructed, and a lifeboat transferred here from Holy Island, a 31-foot 10-oared boat, built by Henry Greathead in 1802. There are no records of any service by this lifeboat, which was replaced in 1838 by a 27-foot lifeboat, designed by Capt. John Foulerton, RN, and built by Shore.[5]

On 7 September 1838, the paddle steamer Forfarshire ran aground on the Farne Island Rocks and broke in two. Much is available to read of the subsequent heroism of Grace Darling and her father William Darling. The North Sunderland lifeboat did not launch to the wreck, the coxswain instead opting for a small coble that he believed more suited to effect a rescue around the rocks. One of the seven crew was William Darling, brother of Grace. They battled to arrive at the wreck, only to find the rescue had been completed, but unable to return home due to the weather, they then spent 2 days seeking shelter in a disused building, all other 'accommodation' at the Farne Island Lighthouse being full.[5]

When the 1838 lifeboat was deemed unfit for service in 1851, an order was placed with Forrestt of Limehouse, London for a 30-foot 'Self-righting', similar in design to the James Beeching lifeboat, which had won the prize awarded by the president of the Royal National Institute for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck (RNIPLS), Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland.[5]

In 1859, the secretary of the Crewe Trustees requested that the RNLI take over the management of the North Sunderland Lifeboat Station, for which the trustees would give a grant of £30 per annum to the RNLI. The existing 30-foot lifeboat was never launched on service for the RNLI, who in 1865 decided to replace it. A 33-foot 10-oared self-righting 'Pulling and Sailing' (P&S) lifeboat, (one using oars and sail), was built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £274-19s-3d, and a new launch carriage cost a further £102-11s-0d. The lifeboat and carriage were transported to North Sunderland free of charge by the Great Northern and North Eastern railway companies. At a ceremony on 12 June, the boat was named Joseph Anstice by the donor, Mrs Anstice of Tynemouth.[5]

Thomas Pringle retired in May 1886 after serving as Coxswain for 21 years. As was common practice, he was awarded the RNLI Silver Medal in recognition of his many service calls. Only 17 months later, he would drown in a boating accident on 6 October 1887.[6]

RNLB Lizzie Porter (ON 597)

North Sunderland would receive their first motor-powered lifeboat in 1936, the non-self-righting Liverpool-class lifeboat, with a 35 hp petrol engine, delivering a speed of 7.47 knots. A new boathouse nearer the harbour was constructed. Previously, P&S lifeboats had cost a few hundred pounds. Costing £3,447, the cost was met from the combined funds of three legacies, and the boat was in effect given three names, The William and James, the Ridge Matthews, and the Abigail Gardiner, each chosen by the donor. At a ceremony on 5 September 1936, the boat was formally named W.R.A. (ON 781) by Helen Percy, Duchess of Northumberland. Each name was inscribed on a plaque inside the boat.[2][5]

A D-class (RFD PB16) Inshore lifeboat would be stationed at North Sunderland in 1964. The rise in leisure activity at the coast demanded a quick response vessel, and these boats would quickly show their value. In the first 35 years on station to 1999, the inshore boats would launch just over 300 times, saving 85 lives.[5]

Mersey-class 12-16 Grace Darling

In 1991, a new boathouse was constructed to house the Mersey-class lifeboat 12-16 Grace Darling (ON 1173) and Talus launch tractor, with improved crew facilities, and storage for the D-class.
On 9 April 1999, on the request of station personnel, the RNLI agreed that North Sunderland station be formally renamed Seahouses Lifeboat Station with immediate effect.[1]

For two years, the station had the unusual occurrence of having two lifeboats with the same name, the new D-class (IB1) also being named Grace Darling (D-828) in 2018.[2]

After 29 years on station, Mersey-class lifeboat 12-16 Grace Darling (ON 1173) was retired in 2020, and sold to the ADES Uruguay lifeboat service. She was renamed ADES 28 Grace Darling, based in Colonia del Sacramento. She would be replaced by 13-36 John and Elizabeth Allan (ON 1343), a 25 knot Water-jet powered Shannon-class lifeboat, costing over £2 million. The boat was funded by the late professor James Allan, and named after his parents.[1][2][7]

Station honours

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The following are awards made at North Sunderland / Seahouses.[1][6]

Lt. John Brunton, RN, H.M. Coastguard - 1828
William Darling, Lighthouse Keeper - 1838
Grace Horsley Darling - 1838
Grace Horsley Darling - 1838
  • Silver Medal, awarded by the Edinburgh and Leith Humane Society
Grace Horsley Darling - 1838
William Darling, Lighthouse Keeper - 1838
Grace Horsley Darling - 1838
John T Knight, Boatman, H.M. Coastguard - 1853
Thomas Pringle, Coxswain - 1886
James Robson, Coxswain - 1908
  • Silver Medal awarded by The King of Norway
James Robson, Coxswain - 1909
Thomas Dawson, Coxswain - 1959
  • The Thanks of the Institution inscribed on Vellum
Rev. F. R. Simpson, Honorary Secretary - 1876
Thomas Hall and the crew of the Golden Horn - 1932
George Dawson, Coxswain - 1943
Stephen Priestley, Helmsman - 1996
  • Vellum Service Certificate
Darren Shell - 1996
Thomas Douglas Dawson, Coxswain - 1971QBH[8]
Robert Heslop Reay - Honorary Secretary - 1991[9]
Robert Charles Dawson Douglas, Coxswain - 1992[10]

North Sunderland / Seahouses lifeboats and tractors

[edit]

All-weather lifeboats

[edit]
ON[a] Op. No.[b] Name In service[11] Class Comments
– – Unnamed 1827–1838 31-foot Greathead [Note 1]
– – Unnamed 1838–1852 27-foot non-self-righting [Note 2]
Pre-255 – Unnamed 1852–1865 30-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 3]
Pre-428 – Joseph Anstice 1865–1884 33-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 4]
2 – Thomas Bewick 1884–1906 34-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 5]
557 – Forster Fawcett 1906–1925 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 6]
597 – Lizzie Porter 1925–1936 35-foot Self-righting (P&S) [Note 7]
Now part of the RNLI Collection at Chatham Historic Dockyard.
781 – W. R. A. 1936–1954 Liverpool
927 – Grace Darling 1954–1967 Liverpool Now part of the RNLI Collection at Chatham Historic Dockyard.
991 37-20 Edward and Mary Lester 1967–1989 Oakley
991 37-13 William Henry and Mary King 1989–1990 Oakley
982 37-15 Ernest Tom Neathercoat 1990–1991 Oakley
1173 12-16 Grace Darling 1991–2020 Mersey Sold to ADES Uruguay, renamed ADES 28 Grace Darling
1343 13-37 John and Elizabeth Allan 2020– Shannon [12]
Pre ON numbers are unofficial numbers used by the Lifeboat Enthusiast Society to reference early lifeboats not included on the official RNLI list.

Inshore lifeboats

[edit]
Op. No.[b] Name In service[2] Class Comments
D-37 Unnamed 1964 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-53 Unnamed 1965 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-6 Unnamed 1966 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-37 Unnamed 1967 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-157 Unnamed 1968–1980 D-class (RFD PB16)
D-271 Unnamed 1980–1988 D-class (Zodiac III)
D-377 Unnamed 1988–1997 D-class (EA16)
D-529 Martin John and Ann 1997–2008 D-class (EA16)
D-686 Peter Downes 2008–2018 D-class (IB1)
D-828 Grace Darling 2018– D-class (IB1)

Launch and recovery tractors

[edit]
Op. No.[b] Reg. No. Type In service[2] Comments
T37 GGF 497 Case L 1954–1961
T48 KGP 853 Case LA 1961–1963
T70 12 GXD Case 1000D 1963–1972
T71 519 GYM Case 1000D 1972–1980
T74 136 HLC Case 1000D 1980–1986
T97 C282 LNT Talus MB-H Crawler 1986–1998
T98 B688 HUJ Talus MB-H Crawler 1998–2006
T117 L784 JNT Talus MB-H Crawler 2006–2021
SC-T19 HF69 CXV SLARS (SC Innovation) 2020– David Cooper
  1. ^ ON is the RNLI's Official Number of the boat.
  2. ^ a b c Op. No. is the RNLI's Operational Number of the boat carried on the hull.

See also

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Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ 31-foot non-self-righting Greathead lifeboat
  2. ^ 27-foot non-self-righting lifeboat, built by Shore
  3. ^ 30-foot 10-oared Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, London, costing £150.
  4. ^ 33-foot (10-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, costing £274-19s-3d.
  5. ^ 34-foot (10-oared) Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Forrestt of Limehouse, costing £363.
  6. ^ 35-foot 10-oared Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat, built by Thames Ironworks, costing £810.
  7. ^ 35-foot 10-oared Self-righting (P&S) lifeboat

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "Seahouses' station history". RNLI. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2024). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2024. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 4–132.
  3. ^ "North Sunderland Harbour". North Sunderland Harbour. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Lord Crewe". Lord Crewe's Charity. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Morris, Jeff (April 1999). The History of the Seahouses Lifeboats. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 1–42.
  6. ^ a b Cox, Barry (1998). Lifeboat Gallantry. Spink & Son Ltd. ISBN 0-907605-89-3.
  7. ^ Clayton, Ian (13 January 2021). "Seahouses lifeboat crew bid farewell to "Grace Darling"". RNLI. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Ordinary Members of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order of the British Empire". The Gazette. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  10. ^ "British Empire Medal (Civil Division)". The Gazette. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  11. ^ Leonard, Richie; Denton, Tony (2021). Lifeboat Enthusiasts Handbook 2021. Lifeboat Enthusiasts Society. pp. 2–120.
  12. ^ Clayton, Ian (18 March 2023). "Seahouses RNLI's Shannon class lifeboat naming ceremony". RNLI. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
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